that met me when we landed at
Portsmouth was that I had been recommended to the Admiralty as a
suitable person to receive his Majesty's warrant as boatswain to my
ship. Meantime, as necessary repairs to the _Diana_ would necessitate a
full month in dock, leave of absence for a week or two was granted to
most of her crew in consideration of their long service.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

LORD EDWARD.

Captain Swift, himself an Irishman, when he understood that I was
desirous of spending my leave of absence in Donegal, was gracious enough
to appoint me his secretary for the time being, and thus made easy what
might otherwise have been a difficult journey. The captain's
destination was a few miles south of Derry, where his family resided, so
that I was brought well on my way.

Our journey took us through Dublin, in which city the captain remained
some days, to confer with the naval authorities there as to the future
service of the _Diana_ in Irish waters. During that short halt I had
time to look about me, and form some impressions of a place of which I
had so often heard but never yet seen.

I am not going to trouble my readers with those impressions. Indeed,
when it came to looking about me, I found my attention taken hold of by
matters far more important than streets and edifices.

On the day before our departure for the north, one of my first errands
was to the coach-office, to engage places for the captain and myself for
the journey. I had done this, and was about to quit the yard, when a
private travelling coach, evidently about to start (for it was piled
with baggage on the top), drew up at the gate, to take on board a sack
of corn for the horses.

It was evidently the equipage of a wealthy man. Two passengers were
inside--a lady and a gentleman--both well cloaked, for it was a cold
spring day. I could not see their faces, and should probably not have
troubled myself twice about them, but for two strange incidents which
happened, just as, having taken up what they called for, the carriage
started on its journey. A man on the pavement, who had evidently been
watching the halt, uttered a howl of execration and shook his fist at
the window. A moment after, a young gentleman of military bearing,
mounted on a grey horse, cantered up the road and overtook the coach on
the other side. He carried a small bunch of flowers, which he stooped
to pass in at the window to the lady, receiving in exchange a wave f